NFL blitzes Muvico's big screen, bans Bucs show

The Centro Ybor theater put the Bucs up on a 25- by 15-foot field until the NFL blew the whistle.

By BABITA PERSAUD

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 2, 2001

TAMPA -- Pumped-up Bucs fans who ventured to Centro Ybor on Sunday to watch the game in the comfort of a movie theater were halted in their tracks by a giant banner.

"The NFL ordered Muvico not to show Bucs games to our loyal Tampa Bay fans. We apologize for any inconvenience."

The NFL put the kibosh on Muvico's heavily promoted venture of showing Bucs games on the big screen. It was designed to draw patrons during the slow months with free admission and, like a sports bar, plenty of beer.

The first showing drew a respectable crowd three weeks ago, but Muvico was forced to put a halt to Sunday's showing after receiving a two-page letter Wednesday from the NFL that was headed "Advanced Notice of Potential Infringement."

That touched off a civil war of words between the NFL legal eagles and the movie theater chain.

"They made their points and we made our points," said Muvico spokesman Jim Lee.

Muvico argued: We are like a sports bar. We serve alcohol.

The NFL rebutted: It's a theater. It's got a big screen.

Muvico: ESPN Zone shows games on a big screen. So do other sports bars.

The NFL lawyers offered the final word: Copyright act, U.S. Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 110, Paragraphs 5A and B.

Games cannot be shown on "a diagonal screen size greater than 55 inches" without permission.

The Muvico screen is 25 feet by 15 feet.

"The nature of the establishment, the main event, is a theater," Greg Aiello, vice president of public relations for the NFL, said from his New York office Monday.

Muvico neglected to check with the NFL before launching the campaign. Lee said organizers did not think they needed to, since most sports bars don't, he said.

Muvico made other checks. It checked with local television and the local cable company, said Lee, making sure Muvico pulled from an antenna and making sure it ran commercials.

"We were following the sports bar rules," said Lee on Monday. "We felt we followed everything, but their view and our view are different."

Discussions with the NFL lasted from Wednesday "all the way up to 5 p.m. on Friday," said Lee.

Then Muvico regretfully tied the banner to the iron railing. The word "ordered" was underlined in black.

"We were disappointed," said Lee. "I think we should have been able to do it."

With no admission, Muvico had hoped to make money by selling advertising to sponsors and from selling chicken wings and beer.

About 200 Bucs fans were turned away on Sunday, including Linda Mednick of Odessa. A Bucs fan since 1976, Mednick said as soon as she saw the banner, "It's like your jaw dropped. I thought, "It must be because of money.' "

Muvico will continue to push their points with the NFL, Lee said, but "I don't think it will do any good, honestly. The NFL didn't give any indication this was negotiable."

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